Bed-spring



- 161g j s l lflulLM/il/eig-H l C. W. PIPER.

BED SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. |911.

1,332,682. Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENTv OFFICE.

GLARE-NCE W. PIPER,-OFST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, `.ASSIIGNOE TO DOLPH C. WILCKEN, OF

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

BED-SPRING.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed April 4, 1917. Serial No. 159,800.

To all whom tf/nay concern.'

Be it known that I, CLARENCE IV. PIPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Bed-Springs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements :in bed springs, .the `primary object being to provide an improved bed spring, which is light, durable, simple and economical in construction and verj7 neat in appearance.

llVith Athese and other objects in view, my invention comprises the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter particularly described `and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan of a detail of a bed springfconstructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of that portion `of 'the bed spring shown inFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan of one of the wire loops employed in the construction illustrated in Fig. l; Fig. i is a plan of a detail of one of the wire loops illustrated in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a plan of a detail of a bed spring illustrating an alternative construction.

Referring to the drawing let 2 and 3 indicate the head and foot bars and 4 one of the side bars of a'bed frame, said head and foot bars being mounted upon the side bar by the usual metal fittings 5 and 6. These parts specified assist in producing the usual bed frame, but it will be understood that this frame may be of any suitable construction and of any preferred size. Arranged between the head and foot bars is a wire fabric A, which is composed of a group of wire loops 7, each loop being secured to the head and foot bars by the sets of helical springs 8 and 9. Each of said loops consists of a strand or a single piece of wire having its ends meeting and secured together by means of a metal clip 10. The longitudinal sides of said loop are arranged parallel and one extremity of said loop having the clip 10 vis secured by one of the springs of the group 8 to the head bar 2 and the opposite extremity is secured by one of the springs of the group 9 to the end bar 3. The ends of the coil springs 8 and 9 which are not secured to the loops of the fabre are passed through ,Suitable .openings 11 in the end bars 2 and 3 as shown. Thus the loops are held under suitable tension to form a mattress supporting vfabric in the bed frame.

The sides of each loop are held spaced apart in` parallel relation by means of the spacing 'links 12, said spacing links being distanoed apart at substantially even inter` vals and the adjacent sides of 'each pair ofA loops are secured together by the links 13, said links 13 being also suitably distan'ced apart at even intervals. In this manner a bed fabric lying in a single plane is formed by the loops and links. The links 12 and 13 are distributed in staggered relation, so as to distribute as evenly as possible, the links throughout the entire area of the fabric.

The main body portion of the fabric has the sides of each loop and the ladjacent ysides ofeach pair of loops evenly distanced apart with all of said sides lying parallel. For the purpose of reinforcing the strength of the fabric adjacent each side of the bed frame, the sides of the loops are arranged closer together in stepped relation as they approach the eXtreme side edge of the bed spring. In this manner the fabric is reinforced in strength, so as to prevent sagging or straining of the bed spring when in service. The coil springs which support the main or body portion of the fabric are all of substantially the same strength but the springs which support the loops that are arranged closer together in stepped relation as they approach the side edges of the fabric are likewise of greater strength in stepped relation approaching the extreme side edges of the bed spring. In this manner the bed spring maintains greater supporting strength approaching the side edges thereof, than in the body portion thereof between the sides of the bed frame. It is also contemplated that all of the coil springs may be of the same or substantially the same strength when desired.

An additional advantage derived by arranging the springs in stepped relation, that is "closer and closer together as they approach the side edges of the fabric or mat is to reduce the liability of a person rolling off of the bed. It is found in practice with my invention that the increasing strength of the fabric toward the side edges as veX- plaiued @beve tends to prevent 0r limit the rolling action of a person lying upon a mattress, which is supported upon the fabric. There is a rebounding action, which rolls the person back upon the main or body portion of the bed.

In the construction appearing in Fig. 5, my invention is shown applied to a twin bed structure, each set of loops B and C being provided with adjusting bars 14 of usual construction whereby the tension of` the coil springs 15 which anchor and support the loops 16 is adjustable so that one set of loops may be of greater spring tension than the other. The parting loop 17 between these sets of loops B and C is secured to the adjusting bars 14 by the coil spring 18 and an equalizing link 19. The outer side portions of the sets of loops are .arranged with the sides of the loops closer tus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, vwhat -I claim asnew and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A bed spring comprising in combination with a bed frame, a group of wire loops having longitudinal strands arranged in a single plane parallel to each other and anchored under spring tension by their eX- tremities to the ends of said frame, said strands being arranged with their sides successively stepped closer and closer apart approaching the sides of said frame, whereby the spring tension of the loops is successively strengthened, and links secured to the sides of said loops at intervals spreading said sides of each loop apart and coupling the adjacent sides of said loops together.

2. A bed spring comprising a frame having end bars, a plurality of individual loops -the sides of which are parallel and in a single plane, springs of substantially equal strength connecting the ends of said loops to said end bars, and links secured to said loops at intervals, spreading the sides of each loop apart and coupling the adjacent sides of said loops together, the sides of said loops being successively reduced in distance apart as they approach the eXtreme side edges of said bed springs, whereby the spring tensionof the loops is strengthened approaching said side edges.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CLARENCE W. PIPER. 

